San Diego Comic-Con 2014: 5 reasons for TV fans to get excited

Even if you’re not one of the 130,000 attendees of San Diego Comic-Con 2014, this annual convention for genre fans marks an exciting point in the TV calendar.

The networks are gearing up for their new season premieres and the internet is abuzz with news and first reactions from those lucky enough to see the preview screenings and panels first-hand.

This year’s event sees a first appearance by Benedict Cumberbatch, who’s there to promote Penguins of Madagascar but will no doubt be inundated with questions about Sherlock which he won’t be able to answer.

But here are five personal highlights from the TV world I’ll be looking forward to finding out more about over the next few days.

I have high hopes for the pilot of this series based on the DC Comics character of the same name and a spin-off from its companion series Arrow.

It stars Grant Gustin (best known as Sebastian in Glee) as Barry Allen, a scientist who develops super-speed after a freak accident, with John Wesley Shipp as his father.

Shipp played The Flash in the original 1990 TV version.

Despite featuring appearances from Mark Hamill (yes, Luke Skywalker), The Partridge Family’s David Cassidy and future Star Trek alumni Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) and Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun, Brunt and others), it lasted only one season. Production costs were high and viewing figures were disappointing.

Will the updated version fare better? With convincing CGI now possible and a built-in audience from Arrow, it stands a good chance.

2. Battlestar Galactica

This panel should provide some interesting fan insights as it includes the actors who played Apollo in the two TV versions: Richard Hatch and Jamie Bamber.

We’ll hopefully also get some snippets on the Battlestar Galactica movie project which is under development, about which little is currently known.

3. Batman ’66

Adam West, star of the 1966 Batman, will be at Comic Con (Picture: 20th Century Fox)

One for nostalgists. I grew up watching repeats of the 1960s TV version, familiar to most viewers of a certain age for its lurid colours and high-camp cartoon action, and which was about as far removed from the darkness of the subsequent movie franchises as it is possible to be.

Ahead of the release of a high-definition remastered version of the series in November, a panel session will unite the Dynamic Duo of Adam West and Burt Ward, as well the original Catwoman, Julie Newmar.

Holy Comic-Con, Batman!

4. Orphan Black

Tatiana Maslany will no doubt be asked about THAT season two twist Picture: BBC)

Entertainment Weekly’s Dalton Ross will moderate a panel focussing on the clone conspiracy thriller which has earned widespread acclaim for its multiple role-playing leading lady Tatiana Maslany.

Co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, Maslany and several of the show’s other stars will be on hand to answer questions about the shock twist that ended season two, as well as dropping hints about what’s to come in season three.

Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s head of TV, will join some of the cast of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the new spin-off mini-series Agent Carter, which is scheduled to air during S.H.I.E.L.D.’s winter hiatus.

Expect plenty of nuggets about what we can expect from both shows, as well as a discussion about the reversal of fortunes which saw S.H.I.E.L.D. recover from a shaky first half-season to finish strongly.